208 HORTICULTURAL MANUAL. 



popular demand does not favor a dark-colored variety. 

 Yet this Hortensis class includes the finest dessert and pre- 

 serving varieties grown in this country. 



What is known to scientists as Ficus carica Smyrniana 

 has been, and still is, the leading commercial type of figs 

 known to commerce over the civilized world. The typical 

 white varieties of this class come largely from Smyrna on 

 the Mediterranean. TJie locality of this region is peculiar, 

 giving it a soft, moist, and very mild climate. The 

 southerly winds are tempered by the great inland sea and 

 the northerly winds are tempered by the Black Sea and 

 mountain ranges. In this soft, warm climate a race of the 

 fig has been developed in time that will not develop perfect 

 fruit without pollination by the Capri or wild fig. The 

 pollinating process has long been called " caprification/' 

 The fig-wasp of that climate breeds on the wild fig. 

 Branches of the wild fig in flower are placed in the tops of 

 the fig-bushes and the insects puncture the receptacle and 

 in the act pollinate the fruit. The researches of Dr. Eisen, 

 of California, and others have fully established the fact that 

 the old idea of caprific'ation only means a process of pol- 

 lination. In Fresno, California, the Smyrna figs have 

 been hand-pollinated, thus proving conclusively that full 

 crops can be secured without the aid of the fig-wasp. But 

 hand pollination is too expensive for commercial work, and 

 the fig-wasp has been introduced for trial in the orchards 

 of Smyrna figs that have been planted. The growing of 

 this class of figs is yet experimental. If pollination can be 

 secured a new industry will soon be started, resulting in 

 home-grown dried figs, dried and packed more systemati- 

 cally than ever has been done on the Mediterranean. 



206. Possible Fig Improvement. It is not probable that 

 there is to be found a better class of figs on earth for dry- 

 ing than those from Smyrna. But the uncertainty of 



